Broken Iron
by MissPompeiiWoleese
Summary: Percy didn't mean to blow up the iron, it just happened. Percabeth one-shot. Set after House of Hades


**A/N: I don't even have a clue how this storyline popped into my head, it just did. Annabeth and Percy have been living together for six months now and things aren't going as well as they should be. Please review! (I don't own PJ)**

* * *

Percy didn't _mean _to blow up the iron and catch Annabeth's clothes on fire. It just happened. And anyway it was hardly his fault. It was mostly Annabeth's because she was the one complaining about him doing house work.

_earlier that day..._

"Percy it would be nice if I could come home to a clean house and not have to stress about doing the washing, or cleaning the dishes or any of that." Annabeth snapped in his face.

"I know, Annabeth, but-" Percy tried to say.

"-Don't you 'but' _me_, Percy Jackson!" Annabeth interjected. "I don't know why I've been letting you get away with it for this long! It's always the girls who have to do everything, isn't it?!"

"No, of course not-"

"-Oh yes it is! You men are all so lazy and don't think about anyone apart from yourselves!"

Annabeth spun on her heel, walked down the hallway, put on her hat and wrapped her jacket around her.

"Where are you going?" Percy asked.

"I'm going to visit Piper at Camp. At least I can talk to someone sane." and with that, she left and slammed the door behind her for good measure. Percy couldn't process what just happened. Sure, him and Annabeth had their share of fights but none of them, so far, had concluded Annabeth leaving. Percy knew that if he just gave her a few hours alone she would cool off and return home. But as hours went by there was no show of his girlfriend. He was actually beginning to worry so he sought out help from an expert.

* * *

When Paul Blofis opened the door of Percy's mother's house he was quite surprised. It was a school day and Percy was expecting his step-father to be working. But he didn't care. Any help was better than none.

"Percy!" Paul exclaimed and hugged him.

"Hello, Paul."

"I wasn't expecting to see you until Sunday."

"Well I'm full of surprises. Is Mum home?"

"No, Sally is visiting some old friends. She should be back in a few minutes though." he said. "But do come in. I haven't seen you in a while, we can have a chat."

"Alright then."

Percy followed Paul into the house, taking his shoes off in the doorway first, and into the dining room.

"Coffee?" Paul called out from the kitchen.

"Yes please!" Percy replied.

Percy looked out the large window in the corner of the room that face the backyard. Outside was a miniature monument that Annabeth and himself had built just a year ago. It was him holding Annabeth in one arm and a large, green trident in the other. Annabeth had her dagger out in a fighting position, as if they were both going into, yet, another battle together. It had been a while since they had fought anything moderately big. It wasn't as if Percy liked nearly getting killed, he just missed seeing Annabeth's face covered in dirt and blood and _still _look absolutely amazing. He missed when they were young. To think that it was over seven years ago that they met was silly. Annabeth still remembered the day when they were twelve and sitting in the back of that truck so well. She always reminded Percy of that. That memory was vague and hazy when Percy thought about it. But when Annabeth retold the story it was as if it had happened only yesterday.

"Here you are." Paul said, placing the mug onto the table. Percy noticed him put the mug down but then quickly put a coaster underneath it. Annabeth always yelled at Percy when he didn't use a coaster. It didn't look as if he were the only one either.

"Thanks." Percy sat down and took a sip of the coffee.

"So, what brings you here?" Paul asked.

He sighed. "Annabeth and I had a fight. _Again_."

"Oh...was it...uh...bad?" Percy looked up at Paul. He was turning red. Percy could feel him turn red too.

"Worse than usual." he croaked.

"What was it about?"

"Just housework and me being lazy and how she always has to do everything." Percy gave an uncomfortable cough. "In the end she left."

"Where did she go?"

"Uh she said that she was going to visit Piper or something. I don't know.."

"Well...maybe you two should have a break from each other?" Paul suggested.

Percy nearly choked on his coffee. He had never thought about that and he never wanted to. He loved Annabeth to pieces, even when she did drive him up the walls. "That Rachel girl, you know. She's pretty nice."

"Paul I wouldn't leave Annabeth even if it was to save the world. She's...she's my downfall." Percy admitted.

"In that case, if you're in it for the long-haul, you have to change."

"How do you mean?"

"You have to pull your slack! Do some nice things for her or take her out for dinner. Just little things like that helps."

"Are you sure?"

"Definitely. That's what I did when your mother and I would fight."

"But would it work on Annabeth?"

"They're both women, aren't they? Most of them work the same way I think." Paul scratched his head.

"Oh that's comforting." Percy laughed and took a gulp of his coffee. "So you mean, like, making the bed and vaccuuming and hanging out the washing? That type of stuff?"

"Definitely.

Percy heard a jangle of keys and the front door clicking.

"Paul! I'm home!" called the familiar voice of Percy's mother.

"Hey Sally! Guess who's here?!" Paul replied.

"Coming!" Sally walked in from the kitchen and into the dining room. "Percy, what a lovely surprise! What are you doing here?"

"Why is this so unexpected? Can't I visit my mother and step-father without invitation?" Percy said affronted.

"No of course you can. We just weren't expecting you until the dinner on Sunday night."

Sally hugged her son as Percy stood up.

"So what were you boys talking about?"

"Just guy stuff." Paul smiled. Percy smirked at him.

"Huh.." Sally raised an eyebrow. "Just 'guy' stuff, aye?"

"Yeah, pretty much." Percy grinned and drunk the rest of his coffee. "I'd better be off. I have stuff to do. Nice chatting, Paul. Bye Mum."

Percy kissed his mum on the cheek, put his shoes back on and left.

_-Annabeth-_

"Annabeth. It's good to see you!" Piper squealed as she emerged from the Big House.

"It's been so long!" Annabeth hugged Piper and they begun to walk.

"What are you doing here?"

"Just needed someone sane to talk to and Hazel is in France with Leo."

"What are we talking about then?"

"Percy.." Annabeth said glumly.

"Oh..you don't seem to excited about that. Do you want to sit down?" Piper asked. "We could go down to the Canoe Lake?"

"Okay then."

Piper lead the way to the Canoe Lake and they sat down side-by-side on a large rock.

"Spill."

Annabeth inhaled loudly and a tear sparked her eye. "I think that...Percy and I might be done..."

"But- oh Annabeth...what happened?" Piper put a comforting arm around Annabeth's shoulder.

"It's j-just...well...we haven't really been seeing each other lately. H-He always gets home late from work and I barely see him during the day." Annabeth sobbed into Piper's arms but she continued to talk. "And when I do we're always arguing.."

Tears rolled down Annabeth's cheeks and she sobbed very loudly.

"Annabeth...I don't know what to say..." Piper muttered, stroking Annabeth's hair slowly.

"Tell me that I'm wrong. Even just a little bit." Annabeth looked up at Piper who sighed.

"I don't know if you are. But there's a chance that this is just a phase. All couples have their bad times." Piper shrugged. "Although bad couples won't get through it. But good couples like you and Percy? They'll bounce back up."

"Is that true?"

"Annabeth, you two love each other and have for years. You saved the _world _together. You've been through so much together.."

"That's what I'm afraid about. If we do in fact...well all I'll be able to think about is the past." she admitted. "I won't be able to move on.."

"Just give it time." said a low voice that definitely didn't belong to Piper.

Annabeth and Piper looked up, confused. They heard a trot and Chrion was standing in front of them. He had a look of sorrow and pity on his face.

"Chiron." Annabeth mumbled. "How much did you-"

"-No matter how much I heard. When a student of mine is upset I do not abandon them. Not even if they've grown up and continued on with their own life." Chiron's frown was replaced with the smile that Annabeth knew only too well.

"Thanks, Chiron." she sniffed.

"I'll just go. Send me an Iris-message or something, Annabeth, if you need to talk again." Piper said and walked away.

"Now listen, Annabeth." Chiron said when Piper was out of ear-shot. "When you were younger you were determined and distant. You thought that you didn't need anyone to look after you. And maybe you didn't, at that present time. But you can't deny that when Percy arrived you fell somewhat vulnerable."

"I was not-"

"That was because Percy changed you! He made you more resilient. He made you believe in yourself. He cared for you, Annabeth. Nothing has changed since then, and nothing _will _ever change it. It's like what Piper said. This is a only phase. Percy loves you. Don't think otherwise."

Chiron patted her arm and trotted off, leaving her with her thoughts.

* * *

Percy hadn't a clue what time Annabeth would step through that door but it could be any possible second. He rushed about the house yanking clothes off the line, vacuuming every crook and cranny, unloading the dishwasher and trying to iron out all his shirts. No wonder Annabeth had barked at him earlier, this stuff was hard! And to think that she could get all this done in just an hour or two. It took him that long just to vacuum the house! Percy was halfway through ironing one of Annabeth's shirts when he heard the keys jangle outside the door. He ran over to it and pulled it open. Annabeth was standing there, looking only small and numb. Her jacket was wet from rain and her hair was soaked.

"Annabeth I'm so sorry." Percy said. "I didn't mean to be such a slack-arse boyfriend who did nothing but lounge around. I should have pulled my act together."

"Percy-"

"-I love you and I swear to you that I'll take you out dinner tonight to make up for it and I'll even wear a suit if you want me to-"

Annabeth lunged forward and kissed him, wrapping her arms around his neck tightly. Percy responded enthusiastically by squeezing her and running his fingers through her drenched hair. They hadn't kissed like this in a while and it felt amazing to have Annabeth's soft, tasty lips on his own again. Suddenly Annabeth stopped. Her eyes widened in alert, as if they were about to be attacked by monsters again.

"Is something burning?"

Percy hadn't cooked today but he did admit that he could smell smoke-

"Shit..." he cursed again in Greek.

"What-" Annabeth looked around his shoulder. "PERCY! You idiot! That was the broken iron!"

She ran into the house and went straight to the kitchen, pulling out a fire-blanket from underneath the sink. Yes, the ironing board and all the clothes in the basket beside it was, currently, on fire. Annabeth put the fire-blanket over the flames and extinguished it all. After the flames had gone and Percy shooed the smoke out the window Annabeth looked at her burnt clothes.

"Annabeth, I-"

"Oh, Percy, thank you so much!" she squealed and gave him a big hug.

"Wha- Annabeth? What are you talking about?" Percy asked in confusion.

"My cousin gave me this shirt, I absolutely hated it, and she always wanted me to wear it. Now I have an excuse that my amazing boyfriend burnt it!"

"No problem..." Percy was smiling and shaking his head. "Well...what about dinner?"

"Forget dinner." Annabeth lowered her voice. It was more of a seductive growl. "I have a surprise for you."


End file.
